“Younger Us”

There's a particular kind of nostalgia that hits you when you know you're too young to feel nostalgic about anything. That's Brian King, bleating with all his heart on "Younger Us": "Remember that night you were already in bed, said fuck it, got up to drink with me instead!" Then, later: "Gimmie younger us." And by the time the song's three and half minutes of straight bash wind to a close, he's just screaming wordless anguish. Now, King's not an old dude, and he still attacks a stage like a guy who still gets out of bed to say fuck it and go drinking on a regular basis. But that sense of youthful abandon just out of reach is what pushes "Younger Us" straight into your gut. Japandroids never quite got this emo on Post-Nothing, so "Younger Us" is a welcome indication that this band has more to offer than the angular, fuzzed-out frenzy that we already know they do so well.